 | |
| F.A. 60 | |
| Dagor Aglareb | |
|---|---|
| Conflict | Wars of Beleriand |
| Place | Northern Beleriand, primarily on Ard-galen |
| Outcome | Decisive victory for the Eldar, beginning of the Siege of Angband |
| Combatants | |
Eldar Forces of Morgoth | |
| Commanders | |
| Strength | |
Unknown Unknown | |
| Casualties | |
Unknown Destroyed to the least and last | |
But Fingolfin and Maedhros were not sleeping, and gathering swiftly great force of both Noldor and Sindar they destroyed all the scattered bands of the Orcs that had stolen into the land; but the main host they repelled, and drove out onto the fields of Ard-galen, and there surrounded it and destroyed it, to the least and last, within sight of Angband.
The Dagor Aglareb (Glorious Battle) was the third great battle in the Wars of Beleriand, and a resounding victory for the Eldar over Morgoth.
It was the first major battle since Morgoth's forces had been annihilated nearly a hundred years prior by the House of Fëanor. Part of the reason for the long delay was that Morgoth himself had been in the East, corrupting Men after learning of their arising following the first emergence of the Sun; concerned by the growing union of the Eldar, however, he returned to Beleriand.
The battle began suddenly with earthquakes, fire, and a multi-front assault by Morgoth's forces. These forces were repelled though, and ultimately destroyed on the plains of Ard-galen by a united force of the Eldar led by Fingolfin and Maedhros.
As a result of this battle the Eldar tightened their leaguer, establishing the long Siege of Angband. Morgoth, in turn, adopted more insidious methods, seeking to capture Eldar alive to coerce from them knowledge and skill, and to foment dissension between their kingdoms. As Morgoth's attention became fully set on the Eldar, several tribes of Men were able to escape from his worship, wondering West and eventually becoming the Edain.
Background
In Y.T. 1495, Melkor ended the Days of Bliss and ushered in the Long Night when he brought about the death of the Two Trees, murdered Finwë the King of the Noldor, and stole the Silmarils. Morgoth, as Melkor was thereafter called, then returned to Middle-earth and re-established himself within his northern fortress of Angband.[1]
Soon after, in Y.T. 1497, Morgoth launched his first great assault against the Sindar under King Thingol. While his eastern host was destroyed by Thingol, aided by the Green-elves and Dwarves, his western host captured most of West Beleriand, save the Havens of the Falas which were put to siege. Thingol thereafter withdrew what people he could into his realm, and Queen Melian established a fence of enchantment about it, thus both protecting and isolating them.[2]
In that same year however, the first of the Noldor, the host of Fëanor, returned to Middle-earth, having pursued Morgoth from Valinor. Morgoth rallied his forces and launched a surprise attack against the Noldor encampment at Lake Mithrim, but though he far outnumbered them, his Orcs were no match against Elves who had beheld the Light, and were driven back with great slaughter. Fëanor, in his wrath however, drew far ahead of the van of his host in pursuit of the fleeing Orcs, and was surrounded and mortally wounded when Morgoth's forces turned to bay, joined by Balrogs issued from Angband to aid them. Fëanor's eldest son, Maedhros, was further captured following a feigned parlay.[3]
In Y.T. 1500 a second, even greater, host of the Noldor under Fingolfin arrived in Middle-earth, having crossed the Helcaraxë. At this time also came the first rising of the Moon and Sun, the later of which dismayed Morgoth and his servants, causing him to withdraw them and send forth a great reek and dark cloud to hide his lands from its light.[3]
Following the first dawn of the Sun, Morgoth's spies brought him tidings of the arising of Men in the East. So great did Morgoth deem this matter that he himself secretly departed Angband under shadow, leaving command of the War to his lieutenant Sauron.[4] While Morgoth's purpose was ever to corrupt or destroy, with Men he also sought by fear and lies to make them the foes of the Eldar, and to then bring them out of the East against Beleriand.[5]
The forces of the Eldar, meanwhile, strengthened in union. In F.A. 5 Maedhros was rescued by Fingon, thus healing the feud that divided the house of Fingolfin and that of Fëanor,[3] and in F.A. 7, at a council of the Noldor, Fingolfin was chosen as their High King[6] with the Sons of Fëanor subsequently relocating to East Beleriand.[7] In F.A. 20, Fingolfin held a great council and high feast to which came many chieftains and representatives from not only the Noldor, but also of the Sindar and even the Green-elves of Ossiriand; here many councils were taken in good will and oaths were sworn of league and friendship.[8]
Hearing tidings of the growing union and might of the Eldar, Morgoth returned to Angband from the East, leaving behind but few servants, and those of less might and cunning.[5]
Battle
Morgoth, believing the reports of his spies that the lords of the Eldar were wandering abroad with little thought of war, made trial against their strength and watchfulness. In F.A. 60, with little warning, there were suddenly earthquakes in the North, and flames erupted from fissures in the earth, and the Iron Mountains vomited flame, and a great army of Orcs poured forth from Angband.[9]
While his main host assaulted Dorthonion,[10] another thrust down in the west through the Vale of Sirion,[9] and still other forces passed through Maglor's Gap in the east.[10] These Orcs scattered throughout Beleriand,[9] with bands straying abroad far and wide doing great evil.[10]
But the Eldar were more prepared than Morgoth thought, and Fingolfin and Maedhros gathered swiftly a great force of both Noldor and Sindar. While others sought out and destroyed the wandering Orcs within Beleriand, Fingolfin and Maedhros themselves fell against and repelled the main host at Dorthonion.[10] The Orcs were driven back into retreat across the Ard-galen where Fingolfin and Maedhros pursued them and, even within sight of Angband's gates, surrounded and destroyed them.[10]
Aftermath
While this was a great victory for the Eldar, they also took it as a warning, and drew closer their leaguer, setting the Siege of Angband.[11] Hithlum in the west was held by Fingolfin and Fingon, and East Beleriand south of the March of Maedhros by the Sons of Fëanor; the lands between were held by the House of Finarfin, and in the Pass of Sirion, on the island of Tol Sirion, Finrod established his great watchtower.[12] Such was their watch that Fingolfin boasted, save by treason among themselves, Morgoth could never again escape nor come upon them unawares.[11]
Yet neither could the Noldor take Angband, nor recover the Silmarils, nor even keep Morgoth fully fenced. From his position at Thangorodrim, the Iron Mountains curved northward to either side and made for an impassable barrier, and thus in the frozen wilderness to his rear, where the Eldar were restrained from keeping watch, his spies and messengers came and went by devious routes into Beleriand.[11]
Following his defeat, Morgoth now desired to sow fear and disunion among the Eldar, and he bade the Orcs to take alive any that they could. Thus, some among the Eldar were seized by robber bands in the woods, or in over rash pursuit of their foes, and brought back to Angband where they were put to torment and duress. From them, Morgoth was able to make use of their lore and skills, and wrung the tidings and counsels of his enemies, and learned much of what befell since the rebellion of the Noldor, and rejoiced in such seeds of dissension. Some of them were even so daunted by the terror of his eyes that they required no further chains, doing his will wherever they might be, and these he released to work treason among their kin; thus, the Elves became afraid of all who claimed escape from Angband.[13]
It was not long before dark tales began to whisper among the Sindar against the Noldor, for Morgoth chose them for the first assault of his malice, and spread evil truth enhanced and poisoned with lies. By F.A. 67, these tales reached Círdan, and he in turn informed Thingol. Thingol, after learning the full truth from Angrod, responded by banning the use of Quenya within Beleriand, holding those who use it to be slayers of kin unrepentant.[14]
Even during the Siege, war never wholly ceased, as Morgoth would ever make trial and thrusts against his enemies.[11] These were, however, restricted mostly to Orc raids and affrays on the north-marches, with the largest and most dangerous being an attempted assault to the rear of Hithlum in F.A. 155.[15]
As the growing strength of the Eldar, before the battle, caused Morgoth to return from the East to Beleriand, his designs to subjugate Men were not wholly achieved.[5] Following the battle, with Morgoth being restrained by the Noldor, his thought was bent to their ruin, and he gave little heed to anything else in Middle-earth. Men were therefore able to wax and multiply, and some among them had converse with the Dark Elves from whom they learned much, including language and rumour of the Blessed Realms in the West. From among these Men came those who repented, and rebelled against the Dark Power, and were in turn hunted and oppressed by those that worshipped it; they thus wondered westwards, fleeing from the darkness which Morgoth had ensnared them.[16]
Etymology
Dagor Aglareb is Sindarin for "Glorious Battle",[17] it contains the elements dagor ("battle") + aglar ("glory") + -eb (adjective suffix).[18]
In old English this battle was called Hréþgúþ, with "hréþ" meaning "glory".[19]
Other versions of the legendarium
What would become the Dagor Aglareb is first described in the "The first version of The Earliest Annals of Beleriand", under the year 50. While it still starts with earthquakes, rather than a concentrated assault it is described as Orc-raids, which are driven back in the year 51 with the Siege being then established.[20]
In "The second version of the earliest Annals of Beleriand", this became a determinate event. Still taking place in the year 51, the driving back of Orc-raids now includes the destruction of an Orc army upon Bladorion (Ard-galen), and it is titled as the "Second Battle" along with being named as "Dagor Aglareb".[21]
In "The Later Annals of Beleriand", the date goes through an emendation from year 51 to year 60.[22]
In the 1930s "Quenta Silmarillion", the battle takes it's mostly final form. Specific new elements include the Orcs invading Beleriand both through the Pass of Sirion in the west and Maglor's Gap in the east; and of others dealing with the wandering Orcs while Fingolfin and Maedhros confronted the main host in the plains.[10]
In "The Grey Annals", Dagor Aglareb becomes the Third Battle of Beleriand. While an army of Orcs passing through the Vale of Sirion is still included, there is no mention of Orcs passing through Maglor's Gap.[9] The largest additions, however, are not to the battle itself, but the surrounding events of Morgoth himself being in the East and returning just prior to the battle, and of his new orders following it to take Eldar as captives.
See also
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Flight of the Noldor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Sindar"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Return of the Noldor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals": §79
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals": §80
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals": §69
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals": §70
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals": §72
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals": §77
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Part Two: Valinor and Middle-earth before The Lord of the Rings, VI. Quenta Silmarillion", §102
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals": §78
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals": §85
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals": §§81-82
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals": §§100-107
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals": §115
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals": §87
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Index of Names"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names", entry aglar
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "III. The Quenta: Appendix 1: Fragments of a translation of The Quenta Noldorinwa into Old English, made by Ælfwine or Eriol; together with Old English equivalents of Elvish names"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "VII. The Earliest Annals of Beleriand: [The first version of The Earliest Annals of Beleriand (Text AB I)]"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "VII. The Earliest Annals of Beleriand: The second version of The Earliest Annals of Beleriand [text AB II]"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Part Two: Valinor and Middle-earth before The Lord of the Rings, III. The Later Annals of Beleriand"
| War of the Great Jewels | |
| First Battle · Dagor-nuin-Giliath · Dagor Aglareb · Dagor Bragollach · Nirnaeth Arnoediad · War of Wrath | |